NBA salary cap: What does $63 million buy?

The National Basketball Association today announced that the salary cap will increase by 7.5 percent for the 2013-2014, to a record-high of $63.065 million.

That means teams can spend more than ever to sign big-name free agents like LeBron James. In fact, a team is mandated to spend at least 90 percent of the salary cap ($56.759 million) just to make sure there are no cheapskate teams.

Good for them. Bad for sanity.

What could the rest of us do with $63 million?

1. You could by 63 houses in San Francisco’s worst neighborhood.
2. You could buy 488,372 Brazil soccer jerseys (although you might be able to get a discount today).
3. Or, if you are an NBA owner, you could sign Charlotte Hornets’ forward Gordon Hayward to a four-year offer-sheet, as the team did earlier today.

The world’s gone mad. But it all makes perfect sense in the NBA.

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This house in San Francisco sold for $1 million, and it was 960 square feet. With $63 million, you could buy 63 of these.

This house in San Francisco sold for $1 million, and it was 960 square feet. With $63 million, you could buy 63 of these.

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Neymar's jersey was a hot seller, going for $129 retail. After his injury, and Germany's drubbing of the Brazilians, maybe you can get a discount and buy over 500,000 of these with $63 million.

Neymar's jersey was a hot seller, going for $129 retail. After his injury, and Germany's drubbing of the Brazilians, maybe you can get a discount and buy over 500,000 of these with $63 million.

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But if you're an NBA owner, for $63 million, you get this guy playing for your team for four years. What a deal.

But if you're an NBA owner, for $63 million, you get this guy playing for your team for four years. What a deal.